Gearing for talking machines.



H. H. MURRAY & W. D. LA RUE.

GEARING FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY Io, I9Iz.

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. Patented June 27', 1916. 2 SHEETS-SHEET i [.llllllllllllll ATTORNEY H.H. MURRAY L W. D. LA RUE.

GEARING FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I0. I9I2.

. To all whom it may concern tively, have invented certain new anduseful En saar-Es PATENT cnn-Ion" HENRY :EL MURRAY, or RIvERToN, ANDWILLIAM D.. LA RUE, OE OAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNORs To vICTOR TALKINGMACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION p oF NEW JERSEY. p

Be itknown that' we, HENRY H. MURRAY and WILLIAM D. LA RUE, bothcitizens of the United States, and residents of Riverton, county ofBurlington, and State of New Jersey, and the city of Camden, county ofCamden, and State of New Jersey, respec- Improvements in 'Gearing forTalking-Ma'- chines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompany-r ing drawings.

This invention particularly relates to the motor of a talking machine,and is especially directed to the bearings for rotatably-supporting theworm shafts or spindles.

It is highly essential in talking machines p that the actuatingmechanism shall be fof such accuracy that the actuation of the rela-Jtively movable Vcooperative parts will not produce disagreeable'andannoying sounds` l which are audible -during the reproduction of a soundrecord Suchaccuracy in constructlon materially. increases the c'ost Joff manufacture, and even when worms and gears are cut with the greatestcare,`there may be certain unavoidable irregularities and inaccuraciestherein w-hich willtend to produce varyingI friction, Vand'lconsequentinciseV due both to the'friction Iand to backash. y j i -r The principalobjects of this invention are, to providey a talking machine motor whichis absolutely noiseless,ai1d y to provide means to compensate `for anyirregularities in the gearing mechanism, andfth'ei'ebyl effeet a steadyactuation of, the-cooperative gearing members.

Other objects of this invention, specifically stated, are, to provide`atalkingmachine motor with worm gearing having floatingshafts orspindles; and to provide bearings for said shafts or spindles having endthrust ,cushioning mechanism arrangedto permit the -free axial movementof sald spindlesinv their bearings.

Briefly stated,the form of this invention hereinafter described providesa turn-table shaft or spindle journaled in asuitable bear# ing, havingresilient means supporting said shaft or spindle and tending to thrust amovable bearing member. against the end of the shaft; a drivingworm-gear coperative with a worm to rotate said shaft; a gov-v4 ernorshaft or spindle, gournaled at its opposite ends in bearingsrespectively having GEARING FOB. TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jun@ 27, 1916,

t Application led May 10, 1922.' Serial No. 696,328.

resilient means tending to thrust a bearing member against the Oppositeendsof the governor spindle and permitting a slight axial movement ofsaid spindle in said bearing; and a worm-gear on the turn-table. shaft1n coperative relation with the worm Vof said governorshaft to actuatethe gov` ernor. y

This invention further comprehends allof the various novel featuresofconstruction and arrangement hereinafter more denitel'y specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 i is an: inverted plan viewv ofthe talking machine motor showing the cushion bearings of the governorspindle in section for convenience of illustration, and showing afragment .of the lid of the talking machine casingand turn-table; Fig..2is aside elevaltional view of the mechanism shown in Fig.

1 returned to its operative position, showing the cushion bearing forthe 'turn-table shaft in section for convenience of i illustration; Fig.3 is .an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of another constructionvof the cushion bearings; Fig.4 4 is a longitudinal sectional 2,'towhichvit is secured and comprises the frame 3, engaged, with'said coverby screws 4 and having the hangers 5 and 6 in which the main drivingshaft 7 is journaled. Said driving shaft 7 is connected with the windingspindle 8 by the usual gearing 10,-and is provided-with the spring drum12 inclosing y the spring by'which the motor is driven.

The driving 13-coperativelyengaged with the-worm 14' shaft 7 carries theworm-gear cnf-the turn-table shaft 15, which extends hanger-5, and whichis-secured therein by the 'setscrew 20. The bearing 17 comprises thebearingjballf, upon which the end of theshaftl is supported, the spring23 tendupwardly through the lid or cover 2 ofthe casing 1 and rotatablysupports the turn.-

ing to press said bearing ball 22 into engagement With the end of saidshaft, and the Washers 24 and 25, of leather or other suitable material,respectively disposes between said ball 22 and spring 23, and betweensaid spring 23 and the adjustable retaining plug 26.

It will be readily seen that the rotation of the Worm-gear 13 in thedirection of the arrow indicated thereon in Fig. 2 tends to thrust theturn-table shaft 15 axially in op- A with the Worm 30 on the governorshaft or spindle 31, which carries the governor comprising the hub 32fixed on said shaft and the sleeve 33 axially movable thereon, thespring strips 35 connecting said hub and sleeve, and carrying thegovernor balls 36, by the centrifugal expansion of which the sleeve 33is shifted axially on the governor shaft 31, carrying the disk 38, intoengagementwith the speed regulating mechanism.

The speed .regulating mechanism comprises the friction pad 40 carried bythe lever 41 on the rock-shaft 42, having the `spring 43 arranged tomaintain the flattened end45 of the laterally bent arm 46 of saidrock-shaft 42 in engagement with the end of the regulating screw 48.VSaid regulating screw 48 is in threaded engagement with the bushing 49in the lid or cover 2, and is provided With the knurled head 50 for itsconvenient axial adjustment to rock the shaft `42 and therebypredetermine the position of the friction pad 40 `with respect to thegovernor disk 38, and consequently to regulate the speed of the motor.

The governor shaft 31 is preferably provided with reduced portions atits opposite ends, forming trunnions rotatably engaged in the bearings56, which are adjustably engaged in theI bearing hangers 57 and 58 v.bythe set-screws 60. The bearings' 56 are arranged to permit the governorshaft 31 to float axially, and -respectively comprise cushioning meanshaving a bearing ball 62 thrust into engagement With the end of thegovernor spindle 31 by the spring64, the tension of which may beadjusted by the adjustable screw plug in threaded engagement withthe'walls of said bearing spring 64. The spring 64 is preferablyseparated from the bearing ball 62 and adjustable plug 65 by Washers 66and 67, preferably formed of non-resonant material, such as leather,

Wood, paper, respectively disposed between the bearing ball 62 andspring 64, and between said spring 64 and adjustable plug 65, to preventthe possibility of audible sounds being produced by contact of saidspring with the bearing ball or adjusting plug.

It may be here noted that an initial adjustment of the tension of thebearing spring may be effected by shifting the bearings axially in theirrespective supporting hangers and securing them in such adjustedposition by their respective set-screws, and that the further and moredelicate adjustment of the tension of said springs may be effected bythe rotation of the adjustable screw plugs, to effect their axialmovement in or out with respect to the bearing, depending upon Whether agreater or less tension of the bearing spring is desired.

As best shown in Fig. 3, it is preferable to provide the respectivebearings With a bore l having regions of relatively different diametersrespectively providing a contracted aperture 68, in which the reducedtrunnion portion 55 of the shaft 31 is rotatably fitted; a restrictedchamber 69 of .relatively greater diameter and embracing the bearingball 62', which snugly fits said chamber and Which is prevented fromaccidental displacement by the shoulder 71, formed by the difference indiameter between the trunnion aperture 68and the ball chamber 69; andthe relatively larger spring chamber 72,' Within which is disposed thespring 6 4', which may be of such dimension and 10o strength as to beadequate to sustain the thrust of the shaft 31 incident to thecooperation of the Worm 30 and Worm-gear 28, when the latter is rotatedby the driving mechanism;

It will be obvious that a bearing constructed in accordance With thisinvention is self-contained; that is yto say, that the movable partstherein are retained by the 'shoulders formed between the regions of 110relatively different diameters of the bore, and by such constructionsaid bearing provides the thickest Walls at the regions embracing therotary members comprising the shaft and bearing ball, and consequentlyprevents any distortion that Would be liable to interfere with the freerotation of said rotary members; the-costof production of said bearingis materially reduced by contracting the bore and employing a relatively12o small bearing ball; and the frictional contact between the reducedtrunnion portion 55 of the shaft 31 and the Walls of the contractedbearing aperture 68 is rendered sub stanti'ally negligible. Although itis pref- 125 erable to form the bearing in one piece, it may, ifdesired, be provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with a bearing bushing 70 lofsuitable bearing material that may be readily` replaced When Worn.

By reason of the fact that the bearing above described comprises a borehaving regions of relatively different diametrical extent. wherebyshoulders are provided. the relatively movable members may be easily1assembled. Furthermore. said bearing may be applied to talking machinesnow on the market without modifying their construction.

The bearing 75, shown in Fig. l, comprises a separate bearing bushingT6. preferably formed of hard wood or other suitable material. forsupporting the reduced portion 55 of the spindle 31. and said bearing isprovided with a bore TT which is substantially uniform throughout itsextent, and within whichis disposed the bearing ball 78, spring 79 andthe interposed washers 80 and 81, all maintained in adjusted positionand undera predetermined tension, to thrust the bearing ball T8 intocontact with the end of the shaft 31, by the adjustable screw plug 83.

In the form of this invention shown in Fig. 5. the bearing 85 has a bore86 which extends inwardlyT from its inner end and embraces the bearingball 8T, spring 88 and non-resonant washers 89 and 90 respectivelydisposed between the bearingball 8T and spring S8, andthe spring 8S andthe solid outer end portion 92 of said bearing S5.

By thus floatingly supporting the worm shafts or spindles of a talkingImachine motor. it will be obvious that any irregularities orinaccuracies in either the worm or its coperative gear will becompensated for by the slight movement of thespindle in its bearings.and that such movement will be against the cushioning mechanism whichtends to resiliently oppose the thrust of the spindle. and maintains theadjacent coperative inclined surfaces of the worm and wor1n-gear incontact. and thereby prevents any tendency of the worm and gear tobacklash.

It is not desired to limit this invention to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement herein set forth. as various modificationsmay be made therein without departing from the essential features of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention. wev claim:

1. In a spring motor for talking machines, the combination with adriving spring, of a worm gear actuated by said driving spring. arotatable spindle. a worm rigid with said spindle andengaging and drivenby. said worm gear. said spindle having a limited longitudinal movement.and a compensating spring having a free end acting upon said spindle andtending to move said spindle longitudinally in the direction to opposethe thrust of said worm gear on said worm. and said compensating springacting to control the said longitudinal movement of said spindle tomaintain the surfaces of said worm and said worm gear in even andcontinuousengagement and to absorb vibrations between said parts, and tocompensate for irregularities in the unwinding of said driving spring.

:2. In a spring motor for talking machines. the combination with adriving spring.- of a worm gear rotated b v said spring. a floatingspindle having limited play in. both directions longitudinally. a wormrigid with said spindle and engaging and driven b v said worm gear. andopposed compensating springs having free ends acting on said spindle tooppose the longitudinal play of said spindle in opposite directionsrespectively. to absorb vibrations between said worm gear and said worm.and to maintain the surfaces of said worm gear and said worm in even andcontinuous engagement. and to compensate for irregularities in theunwinding of said driving spring.

3. In a spring motor for talking machines. the combination with adriving spring, of a worm gear actuated b v said driving spring` arotatable spindle. a worm rigid with said spindle and engaging anddriven by 'said worm gear. said spindle having a limited lon gitudinalmovement. a floating governor spindle having limited play longitudinallyin lboth directions, a worm rigid with said governor spindle. a wormgear rigid with said first mentioned spindle and engaging said lastmentioned worm. a compensating spring having a free end acting upon saidspindle and tending to move the same longitudinally in a direction tooppose the thrust of said first mentioned worm gear upon said firstmentioned worm. and opposed compensating springs having free ends actingupon said governor spindle and opposing its movement longitudinally inopposite directions respectively and arranged to oppose the thrust ofsaid second mentioned worm gear upon said second mentioned worm. saidcompensating springs acting to maintain the respective surfaces of saidworms and said worm gears in even and continuous engagement and toabsorb vibrations between said worm gears and said worms respectivelyand vcooperating to compensate for irregularities in the unwinding ofsaid driving spring.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 3rd day ofMay. A.D., 1912.

HENRY H. MURRAY. TWILLIAM D. LA RUE. Yitnessesz FRANK B. MIDDLETON, Jr., JOHN D. MYERS.

